UK Reading Lists
The Young Adventurers Reading List
Written by Agatha Christie expert Chris Chan
We’re focusing on Agatha Christie’s adventures, and her adventure stories, this year and one of our favourite themes keeps cropping up... Her bold young adventurers are a fearless group who we love getting to know. To celebrate the BritBox original, Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?, adapted and directed by Hugh Laurie, we wanted to introduce some of these characters in a new reading list. We hope you discover a new favourite.
Why Didn't They Ask Evans?
Nothing like a pleasant round of golf on a course overlooking some rocky cliffs… until Bobby Jones discovers a dying man, apparently the victim of a nasty fall. The deceased’s last words, “Why didn’t they ask Evans?” haunt Bobby, and soon he’s joined by his aristocratic friend Lady Frances “Frankie” Derwent in an investigation. This case isn’t without its dangers though: Bobby wakes up in hospital and Frankie plans to infiltrate a mysterious household, the pair might have taken on a little more than they were prepared for.
The Secret Adversary
In the first Tommy and Tuppence mystery, a young pair of friends have survived World War One, and now they’re unemployed, nearly broke, and low on prospects. They decide to start working as adventurers for hire, and in no time an old acquaintance of Tommy’s in the British Government recruits them to track down some long-lost documents that could spark a revolution. Tommy and Tuppence are thrilled to do their duty– for a generous fee– but can they outsmart the master criminal and would-be dictator known only as Mr. Brown?
The Man in the Brown Suit
Anne Beddingfeld’s life takes a turn when she witnesses a man falling to his death on the tracks of the London Underground. She discovers an odd note near the body, and decides to investigate. This leads to her riding on a cruise ship, tracking down stolen diamonds and falling for the chief suspect in a murder. Can Anne find out the truth behind the bizarre goings-on on board, and defy an underworld figure dubbed The Colonel?
‘But, my dear child, what do you propose to do?’ ‘Have adventures and see the world,’ I replied, without the least hesitation.
The Secret of Chimneys
Europe is wracked by international intrigue. The country of Herzoslovakia is on the cusp of civil war, and a group of diplomats arrive at the country house Chimneys for a meeting. Meanwhile, young man-of-action Anthony Cade is tasked with delivering a potentially inflammatory memoir, prominent society figure Virginia Revel is persecuted by an incompetent blackmailer, foreign dignitaries who aren’t what they seem come calling, and it’s all connected to the fate of Herzoslovakia and a long-lost diamond.
The Seven Dials Mystery
In the sequel to The Secret of Chimneys, a fun party takes a dark turn when one of the young guests dies during the night. Afterwards, a second member of the group reaches an untimely demise, and things are looking very suspicious indeed. “It Girl” Lady Eileen “Bundle” Brent and her gentleman friends Bill Eversleigh and Jimmy Thesiger start investigating, and the clues lead to London’s Seven Dials area…
Murder is Easy
When an elderly lady tells ex-police officer Luke Fitzwilliam that a multiple murderer is striking residents of her hometown, he thinks she’s crazy, until she’s killed by a hit-and-run! Luke decides to investigate the matter and finds an odd series of accidents that may be murder, and is assisted by Bridget Conway, the secretary and fiancée of a fabulously wealthy older man, as they find out if there is a serial killer on the loose in the village of Wychwood under Ashe.
The Moving Finger
Invalided out World War II, Jerry Burton retreats to a placid English village with his sister Joanna. The peace and quiet is shattered by a nasty series of poison pen letters. Soon, one of the villagers commits suicide and another is killed, and Jerry decides to find out who’s been ruining the community’s lives. Along the way, Jerry realises that he has a lot to learn from the older generation when he meets Miss Marple
‘That’s why I say, go down to the country, take a house, get interested in local politics, in local scandal, in village gossip. Take an inquisitive and violent interest in your neighbours.’
They Came to Baghdad
When Victoria Jones gets unceremoniously fired, she decides to escape the mundane routine of regular working life and follows a handsome young stranger to the Middle East, where a sinister cabal is plotting a brutal power play. Along the way, a dying secret agent collapses in Victoria’s hotel room, Victoria endures an unwanted makeover, and explores the actions of a young woman named Anna Scheele.
4:50 From Paddington
When Miss Marple’s friend Mrs. McGillicuddy’s witnesses a strangulation on the train running alongside her own, no one believes her, except Miss Marple. Knowing she needs help, Miss Marple recruits Lucy Eyelesbarrow, a young mathematics prodigy turned housekeeper extraordinaire (the pay for top-notch domestic service was much better than academia) to search for the missing body. Lucy starts working for the mildly dysfunctional Crackenthorpe family, trying to solve the mystery as members of the household fall to poisoning.
Cat Among the Pigeons
Meadowbank School is one of the best places in England for a young woman to get an education– including training in detective work. When the games mistress is killed in the middle of the night, the students start to worry for their own safety. Julia Upjohn, a spirited student whose mother was a secret agent during World War II, starts her own investigation and discovers a priceless cache of gemstones. As the faculty is killed off one by one, Julia realizes she needs help solving the mystery. And who better to turn to than Hercule Poirot?
